At a fitting opportunity Red Jacket arose and spoke eloquently in his
brother's defense; urging the independence of his nation, the existence
among them of laws for the punishment of theft, and boldly demanding the
surrender of the prisoner, assuring the court that the prisoner should be
tried by these laws, and suffer the penalty they demanded. His effort
though regarded as able and brilliant, did not avail to rescue the
prisoner from the white man, whose sentence in the case being for burglary
instead of theft, Red Jacket regarded as unnecessarily severe.
When the proceedings were over, Red Jacket, who happened to be standing
with a group of lawyers, took the following method of expressing his
dissatisfaction.
Beholding on the sign of a printing office near by, an emblematic
representation in large figures and characters, of Liberty and Justice; he
asked in broken English, pointing to one of them, "_What-him-call?_"
It was answered, _Liberty_. "Ugh!" was his significant and truly
aboriginal response. Pointing then to the other figure, he inquired,
"_What_-HIM-call?" It was answered, JUSTICE. Whereupon his eye
kindling with animation, he asked with evident emotion, "WHERE-HIM-LIVE-
NOW?" [Footnote: Geo. Hosmer, Esq., to Col. Stone.]
If the sincerity of Red Jacket's regard for the welfare of his people was
ever questioned, it was by those who knew not his inner self. In guarding
the interests of his people, he was in the habit of closely watching
strangers, not only, but even his own friends.
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